The Grand Ball

On a dreary Sunday at the end of January the following conversation took place.

Annabelle – What are we doing today?
Mom – Nothing
A – Is anyone coming over to visit?
M – No
A – Are we going to visit anyone?
M – No
A – Are we going to the movies?
M – No.
A – Why?
Me – Because. I paused here and thought about how to respond when I REALLY wanted to say “because sometimes Mommies & Daddies have crappy weeks. Sometimes pantry moths that you thought were gone come back. Sometimes Mommies get an eye infection that costs $60 to get rid of. Sometimes Daddies get laid off. Sometimes hot water heaters go kaflooey and sometimes check engine lights come on. Sometimes after you have had weeks like this you have to stay in your flannel pants and thermal shirts and hunker down until the week is over and you regroup strength to start over again”. That’s what I wanted to say.

But instead I said “Because it’s a stay-at-home day”.

A – Great – Today we will hold the Grand Ball. We will all get dressed up and dance. You can wear your wedding dress.

M- We have discussed this; my wedding dress is all packaged up.

A-Then you can wear a brides maid dress.

M – Well, that I can do (thinking of the weddings where the bride says “the great thing about this dress is you can wear it again”, but then you never do, because really, where would you wear it).

	So here we are, in the “fanciest” clothes Annabelle could find in our closets. My 1 time bridesmaid dress, Annabelle as a Pineapple Princess and Nate as the Handsome Prince.
	Nate was in charge of music for the Grand Ball, so of course he choose "The Lion King" soundtrack. Sometimes life gives you just what you need. A dressy dress, dancing with your husband at 2 pm, Hakuna Matata, and giggling kids are what it takes to give you the strength to say “eh, it’s not that bad, in fact, it is pretty good” _